THE GAUR 57 



Early rising may not be absolutely essential 

 to success, but it is quite certain that the man 

 who leaves camp at 6 a.m., or later, labours 

 under a great disadvantage. Bison and tsaing 

 start feeding at about 3 a.m. Unlike elephants, 

 they do not stop long in any one place, but feed 

 as they move along. As the sun grows hot they 

 get into thick cover, and finally lie down till 

 the evening. The hour at which they settle 

 down for the day depends on the time of year. 

 In the cold weather they may be found feeding 

 up to 11 a.m., or even later. In the hot season 

 — March, April, May, and the beginning of 

 June — they will lie down for the day by 9 a.m., 

 or possibly earlier. In the rains about 10.30, 

 though this may vary according to the state 

 of the weather. Now, the man who is on his 

 ground by 6 a.m. has a good chance of striking 

 fresh or overnight tracks before 7 a.m., in which 

 case he ought, with any luck and decent trackers, 

 to get up to the beast while it is still feeding 

 or, more likely, moving about in the cover it has 

 selected to lie up in. He will then either hear 

 the bison or spot it before it sees him. Under 

 these circumstances he may look upon the 

 animal as bagged; for it will be his own fault 

 if he fails to secure it. The late riser, on the 

 other hand, does not reach his ground till 

 8 a.m., and even if he finds fresh tracks at once, 

 has small chance of coming up with the beast 



